Best Gaming Monitor 2021: Top 10 screens for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X

Just bought a PS5, Xbox Series X or a new gaming PC? Then you’ll need a monitor to make the most of all those next-gen features. We’ve assembled a list of the very best gaming monitor options currently available to you.

We’ve included monitors of all shapes and sizes, including ultra-wide displays and a behemoth panel that wouldn’t look out of place in your living room. We’ve also made sure to feature Full HD, Quad HD and 4K options, catering to large range of budgets.

Check out our current top picks below, and keep this page bookmarked for future updates:



How We Test

Learn more about how we test gaming monitors We use every gaming monitor we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check its design, features and how easy it is to set up. We check its colours and image quality with a colorimeter to test its coverage and the display’s quality. We will also play numerous of games to determine its performance.








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Acer Predator XB273UGS



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Pros


Great colour depth
Fast refresh panel
Good motion quality, for IPS




Cons


Contrast not as rich as a VA gaming monitor
Anti-reflective layer leaves a slightly granular character





£499.99







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Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor



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Pros


Incredible picture quality
High 120Hz refresh rate
Stylish sci-fi design
Low input latency and fast response time




Cons


Incredibly expensive
Lacks HDR






£3165







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Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR



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Pros


Fantastic esports performance
Solid underlying image quality
Smart latency analysis tool
Sturdy exterior design




Cons


Little impact for mainstream players
Relatively small size
Low resolution
Pricier than rivals




£799







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Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ



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Pros


Incredible, smooth gaming with 200Hz G-Sync and HDR
Fantastic image quality
Bold design with RGB LEDs
Huge, curved screen with high resolution




Cons


Not the best port selection
Outrageously expensive
Occasional blurring and haloing





£2685







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Dell S3220DGF Gaming Monitor



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Pros


Great core image quality
Large and absorbing screen
Subtle, sturdy chassis
Surprisingly capable with HDR




Cons


Not fast enough for serious eSports
Missing gaming-friendly features
Not as crisp as a 4K display





£399$419







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Huawei MateView GT



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Pros


Bold, vibrant colours and contrast
A decent in-built speaker
Cheaper than the competition
Immersive widescreen form factor




Cons


A little too blurry in fast games
Underwhelming HDR performance
Middling connectivity and adjustment





£499$499







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MSI Optix MAG272CQR



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Pros


Impressive core image quality
Smooth 165Hz refresh rate with AMD FreeSync 2
Immersive, curved design
Includes USB-C




Cons


Poor gaming modes
Minor, high-end ghosting issues






£400







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Razer Raptor



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Pros


Gorgeous Quad HD display
100% sRGB colour coverage
Fantastic gaming performance
Slick design and dazzling RGB lighting




Cons


Pretty expensive
Lacks integrated speakers






£699.99







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Samsung Odyssey G7



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Pros


Immersive curved design
Great 240Hz AMD FreeSync
Impressive image quality
Loads of adjustment options




Cons


Could do with some more ports
Not the best HDR options
Not cheap





£630







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Samsung Odyssey Neo G9



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Pros


Show-stopping HDR and SDR ability
Bold, accurate and vibrant colours
Excellent refresh rate ability
Immersive curved widescreen design




Cons


Wallet-busting price
32:9 aspect ratio won’t suit everyone
Requires a powerful graphics card
Connectivity could be improved




£1849$2499













Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ

Best all-round gaming monitor



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Pros

Incredible, smooth gaming with 200Hz G-Sync and HDRFantastic image qualityBold design with RGB LEDsHuge, curved screen with high resolution

Cons

Not the best port selectionOutrageously expensiveOccasional blurring and haloing

The Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ is our absolute favourite gaming monitor right now. It has everything you’ll want in a gaming panel, including 3440 x 1440 resolution, DisplayHDR 1000 compatibility, Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate and a 200Hz overclocked refresh rate.

That 35-inch curved screen is also an ideal size for a desktop, while the twisted stand design adds some snazzy flair to set it apart from bland office gear.

Costing around £2500, this is a very expensive option. But with only niggling issues, such as a stingy port offering and a lack of integrated speakers, the Asus ROG Swift PG35VQ is the closest you’re going to get to gaming monitor perfection.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull review: Asus ROG Switch PG35VQ review













Samsung Odyssey Neo G9

Best widescreen gaming monitor



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Pros

Show-stopping HDR and SDR abilityBold, accurate and vibrant coloursExcellent refresh rate abilityImmersive curved widescreen design

Cons

Wallet-busting price32:9 aspect ratio won’t suit everyoneRequires a powerful graphics cardConnectivity could be improved

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 is a widescreen gaming monitor that’s been upgraded with Mini LED technology, resulting in one of the absolute best pictures – especially with HDR activated – currently available.

The standard Odyssey G9 is still available at a lower price if you want to save money, but the Mini LED upgrade really does make a big improvement, resulting in deeper blacks and brighter colours for the Neo.

Of course, this monitor is only worth considering if you can accommodate that lengthy 49in 32:9 widescreen and have a powerful GPU to make the most of that high resolution. But if you fit that profile, we can’t recommend this monitor enough.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull review: Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 review













Razer Raptor

Best mid-range gaming monitor



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Pros

Gorgeous Quad HD display100% sRGB colour coverageFantastic gaming performanceSlick design and dazzling RGB lighting

Cons

Pretty expensiveLacks integrated speakers

The Razer Raptor hits the sweet spot between price and performance, offering superb specs without seeing the price spiral into the thousands. You might not get 4K here, but the Quad HD IPS panel looks gorgeous with vivid colours and sharp detail.

It’s also loaded with gaming features, with a 144Hz refresh rate and support for both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. The only let down in this department is the 7ms response time, although you can push that all the way down to 1ms thanks to Razer’s clever software.

The Razer Raptor might not be the most extravagant gaming monitor then, but it has a really impressive spec sheet considering it only costs £699. It’s even more tempting to buy if you already own some Razer peripherals, so you can sync them all up for a mesmerising RGB light show.

Reviewer: Ryan JonesFull review: Razer Raptor review













Acer Predator XB273UGS

Best value 27-inch monitor



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Pros

Great colour depthFast refresh panelGood motion quality, for IPS

Cons

Contrast not as rich as a VA gaming monitorAnti-reflective layer leaves a slightly granular character

The Acer Predator XXB273UGS is arguably the best gaming monitor on this list for the majority of gamers. Its 27-inch screen size is small enough to easily fit on you desk, and the £499.99 price is very affordable when compared to some of its rivals.

A 1440p resolution also gives you a bump on Full HD, making it very good option for the Xbox Series S. A 165Hz refresh rate also ensures a snappy performance, which is very important for competitive shooters and the like.

There are a couple of issues here, such as mediocre contrast and an underwhelming performance when you’re sat in the dark, but this is otherwise as superb Quad HD gaming monitor that’s well worth considering.

Reviewer: Andrew WilliamsFull review: Acer Predator XB273UGS review













Samsung Odyssey G7

A fantastic Quad HD monitor



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Pros

Immersive curved designGreat 240Hz AMD FreeSyncImpressive image qualityLoads of adjustment options

Cons

Could do with some more portsNot the best HDR optionsNot cheap

If you want the best possible Quad HD gaming monitor – whether that’s for a gaming PC or the Xbox Series S – then the Samsung Odyssey G7 is one of our top recommendations. It’s significantly more expensive than the Acer Predator monitor above, but you get a lot of improved features in return.

Firstly, the G7 boasts an incredibly high 240Hz, which will give you a higher performance ceiling for eSports titles such as Apex Legends and Fortnite. The curved design also helps to make it look pretty suave and helps to make the large 32-inch panel more accommodating.

It’s not perfect, with the odd omission of USB-C and the lack of speakers forcing you to buy your own audio setup, but these are issues worth compromising on considering the quality of the display.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull review: Samsung Odyssey G7 review













Dell S3220DGF Gaming Monitor

Best budget gaming monitor



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Pros

Great core image qualityLarge and absorbing screenSubtle, sturdy chassisSurprisingly capable with HDR

Cons

Not fast enough for serious eSportsMissing gaming-friendly featuresNot as crisp as a 4K display

The Dell S3220DGF is one of the best monitors available with a budget-friendly price. It’s an ideal all-rounder with some great image quality coming in a rather decent design.

There’s plenty of screen real estate thanks to a 32-inch 1440p display, providing some good mid-range gaming options that’ll run well on some of the higher-spec cards from both Nvidia and AMD. There are good adjustability options here too, making it easier to create the most comfortable setup.

But if you want a wicked-fast refresh rate or a crisp 4K gaming monitor, you’ll have to look elsewhere and increase your budget accordingly.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull review: Dell S3220DGF Gaming Monitor review













Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR

Best gaming monitor for eSports



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Pros

Fantastic esports performanceSolid underlying image qualitySmart latency analysis toolSturdy exterior design

Cons

Little impact for mainstream playersRelatively small sizeLow resolutionPricier than rivals

The Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR has an absurdly high refresh rate, coming in at a whopping 360Hz, which is significantly better than the majority of its rivals. This means it offers a blazing fast performance, giving you an edge in competitive games.

But that high refresh rate comes at a cost, as the resolution is capped to 1920 x 1080 and the screen size is relatively small at 24.5 inches. The Asus is also rather costly, with a mighty £799 price.

Still, if you exclusively play competitive multiplayer games and want the fastest gaming monitor on the market, then the Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR is our top recommendation.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull Review: Asus ROG Swift PG259QNR review













Huawei MateView GT

Best gaming monitor with soundbar



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Pros

Bold, vibrant colours and contrastA decent in-built speakerCheaper than the competitionImmersive widescreen form factor

Cons

A little too blurry in fast gamesUnderwhelming HDR performanceMiddling connectivity and adjustment

Huawei has entered gaming sphere to release its first ever gaming monitor: the MateView GT. This new monitor has a built-in soundbar, which means you’re not forced to buy your own speaker system.

Offering a good 34-inch widescreen panel means there’s plenty of space for gaming and a 21:9 aspect ratio should help to increase field of view within those high-intensity games of Call of Duty Warzone. In addition, its 4ms response time and 165Hz refresh rate are both ideal for most gamers.

For those wanting a good all-rounder and who don’t have to necessarily shell out on more speakers, then the MateView GT is a great choice. If you’re an eSports pro though, you’ll probably want something with a higher refresh rate and lower latency.

Reviewer: Mike JenningsFull Review: Huawei MateView GT review













Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor

Best TV-sized gaming monitor



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Pros

Incredible picture qualityHigh 120Hz refresh rateStylish sci-fi designLow input latency and fast response time

Cons

Incredibly expensiveLacks HDR

The Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor may look like a television, but features such as a 120Hz refresh rate, 0.5m response time and AMD FreeSync technology leave no room for questions over its gaming credentials.

Thanks to that 4K OLED panel, you’re arguably getting the best picture quality on this list, while the 55-inch size makes this an ideal monitor for living room gaming. It’s got all the credentials to make it an excellent option for the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

But with prices hovering around an intimidating £3000 price, this gaming monitor is incredibly expensive, especially when you factor in the lack of HDR support. For that reason, we only recommend the buy if you want to play games on a blockbuster screen without comprising on the ultra-speedy performance. We also suggest checking out our Best Gaming TV list if you’re keen on this form factor.

Reviewer: Ryan JonesFull Review: Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor review













MSI Optix MAG272CQR

Best value for Xbox Series S



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